No doubt defensive ends coach Jon Fabris was hoping that he'd be able to start fall practice without having to worry about injuries once again playing a significant role.

That may or may not be the case.

Thursday, redshirt sophomore defensive end Neland Ball conceded that the patella injury to his left knee that he's been rehabilitating has been somewhat slow to heal.

"I'm just trying to make strides," Ball said. "It's day-to-day, a long process. My coaches and teammates have done a good job keeping my head up. I'm just trying to push through."

Ball said he wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to practice when the Bulldogs begin preseason workouts Aug. 4.

"If my knee's not ready, they're not going to let me do it," he said. "If my knee's not ready, I don't want to do it. I want to make sure it's 100 percent."

Although Ball wasn't projected as starter, his absence would not be good news to a position that was beset by injuries last year and into the spring and will be without Justin Houston who is suspended for the first two games.

Fortunately, there is some good news.

Senior Roderick Battle is 100 percent and junior Demarcus Dobbs said Thursday that he'll be ready to go come August after breaking his fifth metacarpal during the spring.

He also gave promising evaluations on freshmen Montez Robinson and preferred walk-on Reuben Faloughi, who has been working out with the team since the start of June.

"Montez really has his head on straight and looked very good in the weight room," Dobbs said. "He's been catching onto things day by day that we teach on the field."

Faloughi has been impressive as well.

The former Evans standout who spurned an offer from Furman, according to Dobbs, has gotten his weight up to 230 pounds and has displayed excellent intensity throughout summer workouts.

"He's got a great motor, and that's something you can't coach" Dobbs said. "You can that during drills and when he lines up against the offensive line, he's focused, really concentrating on what he's supposed to do."

Boykin won't be picking up golf

Sophomore cornerback Brandon Boykin said Thursday's he won't be trading in his football cleats for a set of golf clubs anytime soon.

Earlier this week, Boykin and his most of his Bulldog teammates took part in a breast cancer benefit tournament over at the Georgia Club and while he had fun, quickly learned that golf is much harder to play than it looks.

Don't ask what he scored.

"I don't even know," Boykin said. "It was pretty bad. I was just happy to get it off the tee a couple of times. I hit a good shot one time and got pretty excited."

Boykin said there were a couple of players who showed they had some game. Brandon Wood was not among them.

"Sanders (Commings) can play. He talks a good game, but he can drive it well, too," Boykin said. "Wood? No. He looks like he can play. He's got the attire. But from what I saw (Kris) Durham is OK, Chris Davis is Ok."

Boykin said don't look for him in The Masters anytime, either.

"No way," he said. "I'm sticking to football. That's for sure."

This and thatToday is Knowshon Moreno's birthday. Boykin said that freshman tight end Orson Charles is creating all kind of waves during summer workouts and the Bulldog corner believe he will make an immediate impact. "He's going to make a big impact. He's man-child," Boykin said. "I don't know if we're going to put him at tight end or receiver. He can play both tight end or receiver, but he's come off the bat looking really good and I believe he's ready to make plays."